Saving Bella
by edwardsdirtylittlesecret
Summary: Bella was left broken after her relationship ended badly, when she ends up in hospital after a terrible accident there is only one person who can save her, will Edward be able to heal her physically and emotionally? Rated for language and eventual Lemon
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone, would just like to thank you for taking the time to read this, it's my first Twilight fic and I really hope you like it, it has taken some work, I've got more chapters ready to go, but I wanted to see the response to this before I continue to upload. There is a reason for the rating and at the moment that is for language, but as time goes on, all I can say is Lemonade anyone? **

**If you like it let me know, I'm open to all sorts of criticism, it hasn't been BETA'D however I have a friend who is willing to go over it for me, and I have been over it numerous times, if there is something you find that doesn't seem American, well I'm English and I forget you guys are Mom while we're Mum and so on. **

**I would like to dedicate this to my wonderful, supportive, brilliant friend, without whom this wouldn't be here. Alizarine Bermuda A.K.A ...x Love you.**

**Anyway, I'm sure i've gone on faaaar to long, but I have one last thing, did everyone see the Robert Pattinson topless photos? One word: Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.**

**So, let the show go on....**

**Chapter One**

I sighed heavily as I walked along the bustling street; breathing in the cold winter air, this year had really not been my year. You would have thought that out of 365 days at least half would have been good right? That there would have been happiness and good times? For me, most of the days this year had been dire; there were few good times and even less happiness. It was already nearing the end of November and it really looked like I would be spending this Christmas and New Year alone, for the first time in years my father, Charlie, was spending Christmas with a woman who wasn't his daughter, he had obviously invited me along, but I didn't want to impose. My mom too had invited me to go abroad to Europe with her new husband for the holidays; I had politely declined this offer too.

I had thought that I had found the love of my life in Jacob Black, my soul mate, my lifelong companion, my corresponding puzzle piece, thought he was the only one I would ever want, and that these feelings were mutual, there had never been any sign to suggest otherwise, he had always told me he loved me, we were always so comfortable around each other, how very wrong I turned out to be. I sighed as I thought back over the past few years.

Jacob and I had been best friends since we were little, our dads liking to fish together at weekends always threw us together, not that we minded of course. I think they were both relieved we got on so well considering neither of us had anyone else to go to at the weekends, my mom had left Charlie when I was four, needing space to discover herself, whilst Jacob's dad Billy had been widowed not long after his son's birth. From the age of 5 we were like two peas in a pod, we were each other's best friend, we didn't need anyone else, the other kids tried to become friends with us, but we were so wrapped up in each other we didn't really need them, so after a while they stopped trying. If I fell down, which, coincidently I did, a lot, he would help me right back up, if he fell down I would help him up, if I cried he would embrace me, hold me, tell me it would all be better soon, when he cried I hugged him round his waist and told him it would all get better soon, when I laughed, he laughed, when he laughed, I laughed. It was only when we went to separate high schools that the two of us began making other friends, I met Alice, in my final year at school, her family had moved to Forks when her father got a job as chief of medicine at the hospital, she was the youngest of three, I had only met one of her older brothers, Emmett, he was home for a while before moving in with his girlfriend in Seattle, they had married this spring and were currently on their yearlong honeymoon, her other brother Edward I had yet to meet, from what I gathered he was dedicated and hard working, following in his father's footsteps and becoming a doctor, he was in his first year of med school whilst we were seniors at high school. Over that year Alice became my best friend, she was so much fun to be around, even if she did insist on spending her money on me, and absolutely LOVED shopping, when we realised that we had been accepted to the same university we were both over the moon, she was going to study fashion whilst I was looking forward to studying English literature.

My dad, Charlie, always used to say there was something magical about our relationship, he said we had an innocence that a lot of the other kids had lost, and at times when he would look at me with my girlfriends – especially Alice, or working at my homework, he thought I'd lost it too, that I had grown up, then he said he'd see me with Jake and it would all come back, the carefree atmosphere, the laughing, the joking, no need to worry about anything else. It had seemed a natural progression we'd made from best friends to lovers, he was the first and only person I had ever had sex with, and I had never felt so whole, the love we had for each other ran deep, and after being separated for long periods of time at college, well, me at college and him at home, looking after his dad and opening his own garage, it was all we could do to manage to keep our clothes on long enough to not be arrested for indecent exposure. But in the end, I guess that's all it was for Jake.

Sex on tap.

It became obvious that I felt much more for him than he did for me. I thought the numerous times we had made love were something special, the walks down to La Push beach were special moments between us, that each kiss was sacred and love filled. I was obviously wrong.

I found out at the beginning of this year, just a week before I went back for my final semester at college, I had spent the best part of the week with Charlie, I wouldn't be seeing him again until the summer, and he needed some decent food and quality time with his only daughter, he'd been called out to Port Angeles, some break in or other, so all of a sudden I had a free afternoon, I thought I would swing by the grocery store, pick up a couple of steaks and go through to Jake's and make us a nice dinner, so that's what I did, I quickly showered, and changed into something I knew Jake would like, I wore a hot pink, shiny, lacy bra, and a matching thong, not exactly what you would call classy, but Jake liked it, in fact he had bought it for me, thinking the blues, blacks and whites I usually wore didn't look half as good as some nice "sexy" lingerie. On top of that I pulled on my favourite pair of comfy jeans, and a low cut white tank top, he said he liked me just natural, it made me laugh how he liked my old clothes, that he'd seen me in time after time opposed to the new wardrobe I'd had thrust upon me once I met my roommate Alice at college, most of the time I liked to wear what she chose me, but Jake couldn't stand any of them, something about me not being "his Bella" when I wore them, despite me feeling more confident, and happier with myself when in the clothes Alice chose for me, so I resigned to putting on my old clothes. Once I was changed, hair brushed and made up, I made my way to the store in my trusty old truck, and whipped round the grocery store in record time, I was on my way to La Push not 15 minutes later, eager to see my Jake, it had been a long week without him, his warm embrace, his russet skin, his enthusiasm to do just about anything, no matter how completely crazy. I was excited to see him, looking forward to feeling his skin against mine, hearing his deep, throaty chuckle. I pulled up by the house I had frequented so much as a child and made my way inside, dropping the groceries off in the kitchen on my way to find Jake; where I was met by his wolf-like dog, Max with a friendly yelp, I noticed two half drunk bottles of root beer on the counter, I patted his head and headed towards the lounge where I could hear the murmur of daytime TV, only to find it empty, the small coffee table had been knocked over so it balanced on three legs leaning against the armchair. "Jake?" I called, but received no reply, I laughed to myself thinking he must still be asleep, I remember thinking,_ god that man could sleep all day given the chance maybe I can wake him up with a long hard kiss_, I shivered with anticipation as I pushed open the door to his room, ready to yank back the covers and pounce, but again the room was empty, the only other place he could possibly be was his garage attached to the side of the house, so I went back to the kitchen, grabbed a couple of bottles of beer from the fridge, cracked them open and made my way back outside towards the garage. I heard something crashing to the ground and knew I had found him, no doubt tinkering away on his latest car, my stomach tightened at the thought of him all hot and sweaty, his oh so talented hands covered in oil.

I smiled to myself and pushed the door of the garage open, time seemed to slow down as I took in the scene before me, I wasn't aware of my hands letting go of the beers, which fell to the floor and covered me in their cold brown liquid, I wasn't aware of the sobs building in my chest, the fury balling my fists, the thundering of my heart seemed to fill up the room, but I couldn't take notice of this, all I was aware of was the scene playing out before me, it was like I had walked into a nightmare, and couldn't get away, Jake, my Jake was pounding relentlessly into some blonde haired, tanned, beauty, up against his car, his head thrown back in pleasure as she moaned his name, wrapping her legs around his waist, the shock froze me, all I could do was look on in horror as he _fucked_ this other woman, my brain fumbled over how to speak, how to move, I was numb, I didn't want to watch, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. I eventually found my voice, but it came out no more than a whisper, "Jake." I cleared my throat and tried again, louder this time. "JACOB BLACK" I shocked myself with the harsh sound of my voice. I hadn't called him Jacob in years; he was always Jake to me. His head snapped up, his eyes heavy with lust, the same look in them as they always had when he was about to tumble over the edge, they went as round as saucers when he saw me.

"Shit" he mumbled, moving away from the girl, who made no move to cover herself up.

"Bella...I" He stuttered.

"Save it. I don't want to hear your excuses Jacob." I turned my back on him and walked out of the garage, that was the last time I saw him, or even spoke to him, he had tried to call me, I had ignored him, he had tried to come see me, I made sure he couldn't get into my building, he had tried Charlie, who had kicked him out as fast as he could, he even had the cheek to try Alice, but she gave him a piece of her mind.

As far as I was concerned there was nothing left to say, nothing he could do to make up for the way he had hurt me, the way he had destroyed my soul, I had given myself to him completely, mind body and soul and he had destroyed that, I had trusted him, I had loved him, I would have gone anywhere with him, he was all that mattered to me and he walked all over it and threw it back in my face. I felt worthless, and cheap, was I only there for him to get his kicks? The boy I had grown up with had vanished, this new Jacob was only there to hurt me and to make me realise that I'm not good enough, not good enough to keep a relationship together, not good enough to keep him satisfied, not good enough for anything.

It wasn't until later that I found out the brassy blonde was in fact Lauren Mallory, a girl who I used to go to high school with, she always seemed to have a problem with me. I hadn't recognised her at the time, I was in too much shock, but my friend Seth from the reservation had called me later, he thought it was right I should know. I knew he meant well, but as soon as he told me, I launched myself into the bathroom and threw up, just like I had done when I had first gotten home after seeing them together.

I left that night, I would have left as soon as I had left that garage if it hadn't been for Charlie, my kind, loving father, he hadn't known how to react to my tears, I told him I loved him, and that I would call him when I got back to college, I left him bewildered on the doorstep telling him to call Jacob if he wanted to know why I was leaving. I didn't make it ten miles down the road before I had to pull over because the constant stream of tears was impairing my vision, I clutched to the steering wheel of my truck as if it were a lifeline, the sobs shaking my whole body with their force, I managed to find the strength to fumble through my purse and dig out my cell, I flipped it open, it revealed a photo of Jacob and I kissing on the beach in La Push, the tears flowed relentlessly as I flicked through my phone book to find Alice's number, she picked up on the third ring, laughter tinkling in the background, I couldn't hold back the hysteria as I asked her to come get me, the pain becoming almost unbearable as I sobbed down the phone, trying to explain what had happened. She couldn't understand a word I was saying, and urged me to calm down; I could hear the panic in her voice as she tried to soothe me.

I managed to stifle my cries enough to tell her where I was, she told me she was on her way and less than thirty minutes later she was cradling me in her arms as the sobs rocked my system. I don't know how long we sat there me crying into her chest, her silk shirt getting ruined by my tears, I don't remember her moving me across to the passenger seat, whilst she took over and drove us home, Jasper following in the Mercedes behind us, I don't remember getting into the apartment, or Alice calling my dad, I don't remember much of those first few months to be honest, I as numb, it felt as if I was dying inside, nothing could alleviate the pain I felt, nothing could make me smile, nothing could make me laugh, I couldn't enjoy myself, I couldn't go out with my friends, nothing interested me, when I ate my food I didn't taste it, everything felt numb.

I haven't been back home since that night, the memories still too strong, the pain still too overbearing. I struggled on through that final year, throwing myself into my studies, becoming a recluse, declining offers to go out, only leaving the apartment we shared for class or to go to the store, it was all Alice could do to manage to persuade me to stay with her that summer. I stayed with Alice and her fiancé, Jasper in her family's holiday home in California, when I say home, I mean mansion really, and it was the grandest place I had ever been in.

I had been worried I would be imposing, but she assured me that her eldest brother, Emmett was travelling the world with his new wife Rosalie and her other older brother, Edward was staying in Seattle, it was his first year as a qualified doctor and he wanted to spend as much time as he could getting good experience working in the ER, and her parents would be visiting family friends in Denali.

So Alice, Jasper and I had spent the summer, lounging at the beach, shopping, oh how we shopped, not my favourite activity in the world, but Alice, when it comes to shopping, she's an unstoppable force of nature, but she made sure I never had a spare moment to think of Jacob that summer, that was until the time for sleeping came, and there was no way I could control those dreams, the dreams that had me waking up to a fresh bout of tears, whilst Alice soothed me, night after night. I had apologised time and time again for this, but she insisted that it was no trouble and _"that's what friends are for, we take care of each other, and honey, you need taking care of."_ After the summer I had moved to Seattle, got my own little apartment, it wasn't much, but it was home, Alice's mom Esme was an interior designer and had offered to do it up for me, at no cost, no matter how much I argued she refused to let any money pass between our hands, she had decorated the apartment beautifully, in soft blues and warm creams, the furniture was something else, it looked like it had come straight out of a Hollywood home. I had I got myself a job at a publishing house, just an assistant, to get my foot on the ladder, and hadn't looked back since, but although I did my best to keep everyone from seeing what a mess I really was, how broken up I was, I still found it hard. Very hard. I had imagined my first home to be shared with Jacob, something we bought and did up together, I had imagined us going out to dinner when I got my first proper job and toasting to the future, I had imagined us living together for the rest of our lives, getting married, moving to a bigger home to accommodate for a growing family.

I couldn't bear to be around loving couples, or go to see the latest chick flick at the movies, or read the classic romance novels I had once loved so much, it wasn't that I didn't get asked out by guys, that no one was interested, it wasn't that at all, in my first week at work I got asked out three times, and whenever Alice and I go out to hit the town I get asked out, but I just can't go there. I can't let someone into my heart again just to get hurt, I can't give someone my trust only to have them throw it right back at me, but I put on a brave face, and things are getting better now, for one, the dreams have _almost_ stopped, they only happen three or four times a month now, rather than every night. I started reading my well thumbed copy of Wuthering Heights, and have just about managed the first three chapters, and it's much easier for me to be around loved up couples, which coincidently brings me back to the task at hand.

I turned the corner onto the next street; already I could feel the dread filling me, the tightening of my chest, the rapid breaths as I saw the sign for the store ahead of me: _Blushing Bride. _I felt the panic and the pain taking over me with each step I took closer to the door.

Alice and Jasper are getting married next spring, and as Maid of Honour it was my duty to help Alice with the whole wedding, and today, well today it all really started, we were going dress hunting, for not only Alice's dress but my own as well, I knew Alice had been putting this off, and had been easing me into the idea of her wedding, and I felt insanely guilty that my best friend was putting off her wedding plans because of me, so last week I sucked it up, I invited Alice round and cooked us up some dinner and gave my apologies, which of course Alice being Alice completely rebuffed, said I had no reason to be sorry and launched right into setting the date for this little outing, completely unaware of my inner turmoil, the pain that words like wedding bought to me, the way my heart felt as if it was being crushed.

I approached the front of the shop and took a deep breath, willing myself to look into the large windows filled with beautiful gowns, I felt my heart twinge as unwanted memories filled my head, all the times I had imagined myself in a dress like these, walking down an aisle to meet Jacob. I immediately pushed those thoughts out of my head and plastered a smile on to my face; I pushed the heavy oak door open, a bell tinged softly above me alerting the staff to my presence. The spacious room was floored with a plush deep pink carpet, the walls a delicate shade of cream, a long sweeping counter took up one of the walls, endless racks of dresses were filling the outsides of the large room, along with a lot of ivory lingerie, leaving a wide waiting area in front of the desk, doorways led off from strategic points around the room, no doubt leading off to the numerous changing rooms, and more dresses, I could hear the laughter and gushing of one bride to be already, I was a little early, so I made my way over to the waiting area and sat down on one of the large over filled vintage looking sofas, I sat down and looked around the room once again, the joyous laughter of the unknown bride to be continually assaulting my ears.

I concentrated on keeping my breathing even, not letting the panic of being in a place like this overcome me, _in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 _images of Jacob and Lauren, against the hood of his car were swimming before my eyes, _in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 _I could feel the ache of my heart move from being dull to a throbbing pain, I shouldn't have come here today, too soon flashed through my mind, I wrapped my arms around myself, holding together the hole Jacob had created when he betrayed me, _in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 _I hadn't just lost my lover, I'd lost my all time best friend, I couldn't be here today, I wasn't ready, _in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 in 2,3,4 out 2,3,4 _I would tell Alice, then go, but as the bell on the door jangled and I saw the excited face of my best friend coming into the store, those thoughts vanished, I felt immediately selfish, I pushed the hurtful images to the back of my mind, locking them away until later that night when I knew the dream would come out in full force, and plastered a huge smile on my face, "Alice." I called standing up and walking towards her, she squealed like a teenage girl and we embraced, her mood was infectious and I found myself becoming absorbed into her excitement.

"Ladies, welcome to _Blushing Bride_ my name is Clarisa, how may I be of service to you today?" A tall, raven haired woman said, with what I supposed was meant to be a "winning" smile.

"Hi!" Alice exclaimed. "I'm Alice Brandon, and this is Bella, my maid of honour, I believe we spoke on the phone, I requested that we get a whole suite to ourselves this afternoon?"

The woman smiled, "Ahh yes, I remember, well we just have one client finishing off in the other room, she took much longer than we had anticipated, though I can assure you she will be no longer than an hour or two at the most"

"That's fine." Alice smiled, though I could see the tightness in the corner of her eyes that said it really wasn't all fine, "Bring on the gowns" she laughed happily. She placed a hand softly on my arm and looked at me to see if I was okay, I could see the concern lingering behind her excitement, I smiled at her reassuringly.

We were led through one of the side doors into a large room, mirrors adorned three of the four walls, a circular podium stood in the middle of the dusky pink room, there was a table to one side holding a large vase of pink roses and a bottle of French Champaign, tall crystal glasses stood proudly besides it. I feel myself begin to relax, the tension in my shoulders lessens somewhat as I listen to Alice's description of the type of dress she wants. "I want something simple, yet grand, slinky and sleek yet princess like, I want something full bodied with as little extra material as possible, it's got to be white, definitely, hmm, or maybe ivory...oooh gold would be nice,"

I laughed at her completely anal description, and the bemused expression on Clarisa's face.

"So, basically Alice, you want all the brides' gowns in here?" I laughed.

"Oh no Bella, don't be ridiculous" she chastised "I want all the maid of honour gowns too!" her face was all lit up and excited like a child's on Christmas morning, I suppressed a groan and reminded myself that this was Alice's day and I would not ruin it by letting my feelings about Jacob get in the way, I pushed back all the negative memories that flooded my vision to be stored away for the remainder of the day, I took a deep breath and smiled.1 "Bring on the gowns"2

Alice's smile could have lit up the room, a little of my pain was _so_ worth it to see her this happy, she had taken so much care of me over the last ten months, she had given up going out to stay in with me, she had taken care of me when I needed her most, she truly was my guardian angel, except maybe not that much of an angel, more like pixie.

Clarisa left the room to go get the dresses whilst we were waiting Alice poured us both a tall glass of sparkling Champaign, it tasted heavenly, not too dry, not too sweet, just the way I liked it.

"Ladies, ladies, ladies, I almost forgot!" Clarisa said wheeling in a long rack of dresses, followed by three other women pushing in equally large racks, two held bridal gowns, whilst the other held maid of honour gowns. "You'll need to have some shoes to try on with the dresses, not necessarily the ones you will buy, just for the height for now. What sizes are you?" she smiles. We tell her and she darts back out of the door, I turn to face Alice wondering where we will start but her nimble fingers are already weaving through the dresses, I could hear her murmuring to herself, "No, no, oh god, do they really think I want to look like a whore? Hmm maybe, oooh now I didn't think about silver that's interesting, noooo, no, no that's not so bad, maybe if you shortened the train? What do you think Bella?" she turns to face me with an expectant look on her face.

"I, well, the white one is nice?" it ends up coming out more of a question than an answer. She looks stunned for a moment, then laughs, the bell like sound filling the room; I can't help but join in with her. Clarisa returns and gives us each a pair of shoes, I eye mine wearily, unsure as to whether I'd even be able to stand in them let alone walk.

An hour later, and about ten million dresses, Alice and I have decided on at least one gown, my maid of honour gown, it couldn't be more perfect, it was a floor length satin gown, in a delicate shade of ice blue, it clung to my every curve perfectly, falling to the floor gracefully, the cups on the chest were delicately pleated, showing an ample amount of cleavage, the waist section adorned with sparkling sequins, which extend on to the straps of the dress and the low cut back, where the straps crossed leaving most of my back bare, it complemented my skin wonderfully, and for a first time in a long while I actually felt beautiful.

Despite already choosing my dress, both Alice and I continued to try on numerous dresses, laughing and joking as we try on some of the most ridiculous dresses I have ever seen, my personal favourite was one that Alice tried on, she looked like an overgrown Barbie. It was hot pink and sparkly silk, covered in sequins, the bodice was tight and synched her already tiny waist in, the skirt was full, and when I say full I mean very full, meringue style, it had about five layers of netting before the dress jutted out from her hips in an array of pink and glitter, the site of her tiny frame surrounded by all that extra material made me laugh more than I have in months, she barely visible beneath the masses of silk.

Equally bad was the "This season's hottest look" maid of honour gown I tried on, if you could even call it a gown that is. It was crimson shiny satin, incredibly tight fitting, it showed up every unwanted lump and bump, the neckline plunged to almost my navel and the dress actually finished just above my thighs, it wouldn't have looked out of place on a stripper.

We laughed so much we cried trying on these hideous dresses; it was the most I'd laughed in a hell of a long time, it shocked me how strange it felt to laugh, and how easily it came after all this time.

We tried on dress after hideous dress, taking photos with Alice's tiny digital camera, posing like they do in the movies, the champagne flowed and our laughter got louder and louder as the afternoon wore on, I was surprised at how easy it had been, having fun, how natural it was to be like this with Alice, all my fears seemed to have left me the moment she came through the door, but something at the back of my mind reminded me that this day of fun would come back to bite me on the ass whilst I slept later that night.

Eventually Alice found the dress of her dreams. It was ivory form fitting silk, it had a soft square cut neckline, with slightly off the shoulder straps, the bust was adorned with tiny diamonds, it flared out gently from the waist leading to a short train, it fit her like a glove, and she looked absolutely beautiful. She made me put my chosen dress back on all over again to see how we looked together, the contrast of the blue and the ivory was beautiful.

"Now, Alice" I said warningly "This dress is perfect for you, but it won't be all that perfect if you don't have the right lingerie and as I am you maid of honour, I have decided that it will be down to me to choose you the most perfect lingerie for your wedding night." I smiled, Alice laughed.

"Bella, you and your lingerie fetish, I swear it's the only thing you've let me buy you without complaint."

I felt my cheeks reddening.

"Fetish?" I scoffed. "I don't have a fetish! You know as well as I do that if you wear well made lingerie you feel more confident on the outside, it doesn't matter if nobody sees it, because well, you know you're wearing it and it makes you feel all sexy."

Alice just laughed at me.

"Oh come on Alice, please, let me choose, you know I have a knack for it!" I put on my best imitation of her puppy dog face.

"Bella, you know I'm just teasing, you can go ahead and choose me some lingerie, I'll wait here and talk adjustments with the seamstress, and I want to take a look at complimenting waist coats for Jasper, Emmett and Edward, I still can't believe he chose two best men. Hmmm, maybe I should give Rose a call, I'm sure she would love to be a bridesmaid" She paused thoughtfully. "Anyway, then when you get back we can see if your dress needs altering."Alice said; the hint of a bemused grin on her face.

I made my way back through to where I had seen the racks of expensive looking lingerie earlier that day, I could hear the murmuring of the other bride who was here when we had arrived, she had obviously taken much longer than two hours, we had arrived at 11 am and it was now, I checked my watch, holy shit it was 5.30 already.

I decided it was probably best not to tell Alice that the store hadn't complied with her wishes, we didn't want a bride-zilla on our hands.

As I got closer to the lingerie section the murmuring became louder and I could see a silhouette of a woman behind one of the many racks of lacy underwear talking into a cell phone.

I came to the first rack and began to look through; there were some of the most beautiful pieces I had ever seen. I ran my hands gently over the front of a bejewelled Basque, trying to concentrate on the articles in front of me rather than the bride's phone call, I couldn't help but overhear.

"Do you want to know what I'm wearing right now baby?" a short pause came.

"You are a naughty boy aren't you" the bride giggled. "I'm wearing a sheer white push up bra, just the type you like; it's all lacy and see through." There was a longer pause this time as I tried not to listen to the sex talk of the bride oblivious to my presence. I admired a complete set, it was ivory silk, the bra was a balcony style cup, with little daisies adorning the tops of the cups, and it was paired with matching French panties, the back of them made from lace, one tiny daisy rested in the centre of them.

"JAKEY!" The bride giggled, she had a very nasal voice, something about it was familiar, I couldn't place where from.

"You are a bad man, mmm you want to do what to me?" the voice purred.

I really didn't want to listen to this one sided sex show if was going to continue on, I decided that I should make myself known, somehow. I had finished looking through the first rack of underwear and started making my way over to the second, not looking where I was going, my attention focused on the silhouette of the woman as I tried to figure out why she sounded so familiar.

Before I knew what was happening I had tripped right over my own feet and crashed into the rack of underwear knocking some of the expensive pieces off in the process and landing with a thud.

I heard the click-clacking of the woman's shoes as she came to see what all the commotion was, I tried to get up, but my heel was all wrapped up in the fallen lingerie, I fumbled around trying to free myself as the sound of the woman's heels got closer and closer to me, any second now she would be able to see me, all knotted up on the floor, I felt my cheeks flame as that thought occurred to me.

"Jakey, baby, I'll call you right back, something just came up."

I looked up in horror at the woman staring down on me, contemptuous look on her face. I would know that brassy blonde hair anywhere, the orange tan, and the sneer on her face. Lauren Mallory stood before me in the skimpiest lingerie I have ever seen.

The conversation I had just overheard seemed to play itself back in my mind double speed. _"I'm wearing a sheer white push up bra, just the type you like; it's all lacy and see through."_ _"JAKEY!"_ _"Jakey, baby, I'll call you right back, something just came up." "JAKEY!" JAKEY!" "JAKEY" _Her voice echoed in my head.

Jakey...Jake...My Jacob.

Horror pulsed through my veins as my eyes slipped to her left hand, it right there on her fourth finger, taunting me, a sleek gold band, a large pear shaped diamond set in the middle, leering at me.

"Bella Swan" she said, her voice laced with malice as I made my way to my feet. "Fall down again? I see some things never change." Rage pooled deep inside me as she stood there mocking me, trying to make me feel inferior.

I stood up and squared my shoulders. She had no right to make me feel like this.

"Lauren" I said coolly. "What a surprise to see you, of all people here, I thought you were only happy when you were fucking someone else's boyfriend?"

"Ugh, so bitter Bella, it's not my fault you weren't good enough for Jake, that you couldn't _satisfy_ his needs.**"**

"You really are a bitch you know that right?"

"Ooh, touched a nerve have we Bella?"

"You can go right to hell where you belong Lauren, what me and Jacob had was ten times more than you could ever have with him, we were best friends for years before we became lovers."

"You may have been friends all that time, but believe me, when you guys got together or whatever he was already sleeping with _me!_"

"You're lying" I choked, tears threatening to leak from my eyes.

She looked at me with a cruel smile.

"Awww did ikkle Bella think she was Jakey Wakey's first sex like she was his?" she mocked.

My cheeks flamed, hot tears splashing down my cheeks, I wiped them away furiously.

"Oh" she laughed "You did, how cute. Bet you didn't know that after you had gone home that night Jake came over to mine to get some real satisfaction, he couldn't get over how "wooden" you were, said that you had no clue how to please a man. I for one don't blame him for coming to me night after night, especially after mediocre sex."

"YOU'RE A FUCKING WHORE!" I shouted at her.

"Oooh harsh words there Bella, what you gonna do next? Throw your pacifier at me?" She laughed.

My body was trembling with the sobs that I was so desperately trying to stifle, I couldn't find it in me to retort.

"Oh look, she's crying. How sad." She mocked. "Can I tell you something Bella, a secret, it's real good, I promise."

She took my silence as permission to go on.

"Everyone else knew. Jess knew, Leah knew, so did Quill, Embry and Sam. Oh and Emily and Paul. They were all laughing at you behind your back as Jake told them all about your "love making" and when you went away to college for your final year Jake told me when you finished the following summer he was leaving you and they all knew this; everyone was laughing over poor clueless Bella. You just weren't worth the hassle; Jake couldn't be bothered with you. You're not good enough for anyone. Just not worth it." She laughed, and held her left hand out in front of her, showing me her large ring. "Then three weeks after you left Jake proposed, and obviously I said yes, why wouldn't I? He is a fantastic lover, knows every position in the book, only you wouldn't know that would you? Boring Bella only likes boring sex-"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP YOU BITCH!" I screamed at her. I raised my right hand and slapped her with as much force as I could muster, she staggered back, shocked. I turned my back on her and stumbled across the plush room to the door way, I wrenched the door open and lurched out into the busy street, tears obscuring my view, I staggered around grief taking me over, and I tripped off the edge of the pavement, I threw my hands out in front of me to break my fall, I heard the squealing of tires, the loud honking of a horn and then it all went black.

APOV 

I am sooo happy, Bella has done so well today, when I walked in this morning and saw her looking so scared I wanted to leave immediately, but I knew she needed this, she has to move on and get over Jacob, that bastard, the time for being all nicey nicey is way over, it sounds awful but Bella really just has to suck it up now and get back out there, don't get me wrong I love Bella so much all I want is for her to be happy and she won't be happy until she starts going out again and meeting new people, possible dates.

"Do you think I could see this in the ice blue, the same as the maid of honour gown we've chosen?" I ask Clarisa, none of the waist coats I've been looking at seem right for Jasper, but Edward would look good in the blue next to Bella in the line up, and then Emmett and Rose could be matching too, and I could have Jasper's waist coat Ivory like my dress.

Ahh my dress, it's one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen, I don't think I could have designed a better one myself. We're getting it shortened by a fair amount because it swamps me at the moment, but it will be perfect when it's finished, ooh I really can't wait.

Just as Clarisa comes back in the room with a sample of the material we're interrupted by shouting.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! YOU BITCH!" I hear Bella scream.

"What the hell?" I ask to nobody in particular. I'd been so caught up in choosing the material for the waist coats I hadn't noticed how long Bella had been.

I hop off the podium in the centre and rush towards her voice, I come into the room just in time to see her launch a slap right into the face of some blonde woman, then stumble away, it was only then that I noticed who the blond was and I was seething, this place was meant to be empty, all apart from Bella and I and there stood in nothing but slutty lingerie is Lauren Mallory. I march right over to her, and stand in front of her.

"What the hell did you say to her?" I demand

She looks at me with pure malevolence etched on her unfortunate looking face.

"I just told her a few home truths; it's not my fault she took them as an insult."

"You really are a heartless cow Lauren Mallory and I hope you're happy with yourself, you and Jacob have just about torn her to pieces and now you're content to kick her while she's down." I snarled and turned my back on her to chase after Bella out the front of the store.

Time seemed to stop still as I stood in the doorway to the store, Bella was stumbling towards the road, her head down, I could see she was falling apart in front of my eyes; I made to move towards her as she tripped and fell off the pavement into the path of an oncoming car.

"BELLA!" I scream as I watch her hit the hood and get thrown up into the air, she hits the road with an almighty smack as I race towards her.

"Call 999 someone call 999!" I shout at the people around me.

"BELLA!" I push my way past the people that have moved to help, when I catch sight of her I begin to sob hysterically, I can feel a strangers arms trying to pull me back, but I manage to break away. "BELLA!"

I fall to my knees in front of her unmoving body. Blood everywhere, her body contorted at an odd angle. I wrap my arms around her unmoving body and cradle her head against my knees, blood is pooling from her head. I can't contain the sobs that shake my body as I hold her broken form. I can hear myself saying her name over and over again, but can't bring myself to stop; I begin to rock her body in my arms, like you would a child.

I don't register the sound of the ambulance speeding towards us, or the gentle arms trying to pry me away from Bella's limp body, all that matters is her, keeping her alive, all of a sudden the basic first aid training Carlisle had given me as a teenager comes flooding back, as these things do in an emergency and I lean my face towards hers; listening for any signs of her breathing, my ear by her mouth, I can feel a faint whisper of a breath. My hands fumble for her pulse; it's staggering, growing fainter and fainter.

"Please, Bella, please don't die." I find myself pleading with her. "I'm sorry I bought you here, so sorry, I knew you weren't really ready and I went ahead anyway, I'm so sorry Bella, please don't die."

The ambulance screeches to a stop besides me, the paramedics attempt to unwrap my arms from Bella's torso, and I slowly relent to their force.

I watch as they strap her head then attach her to a stretcher and load her carefully into the ambulance, one of the paramedics helps me into the back and I sit alongside Bella as they work on her, pumping oxygen into her rapidly fading body. It all becomes a blur; I sit there mindlessly as they continue to work over her body, they're asking me who she is, what happened, I'm too shocked to give a coherent answer at first but I eventually manage to tell them Charlie's phone number.

Before I know it the ambulance has arrived at the hospital, they're rushing through the double doors. My eyes search frantically around the room, until I meet a pair of startled green eyes. The ones I know will be able to save her.

"Edward." I sob as my feet give way beneath me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who commented, put it on Story Alert and Favourites, and those who took the time to read this. You all really made me smile. **

**Hope you like this chapter, the next one might not come up quiet so fast as I have all my alevels next week but after that chapters should be coming up quiet frequently...**

**Enjoy :)**

EdwardPOV

It had been a slow morning at the hospital, which I was grateful for, this past year I had worked all the hours god sent and it was finally catching up with me, I had been repeatedly told to take a break, some sort of holiday but I had kept refusing, my work is important to me, I mean, it's not like I have a "special somebody" to spend my free time with, well unless you count Emmett, my bear like big brother, but he has been so busy setting up his own club since he got back from his honeymoon with Rose, who would have thought it...Emmett Cullen, settling down, buying a house, buying a freaking club. I shook my head and chuckled quietly, that one I really had not seen coming.

Christmas was coming soon and despite putting off taking time off work since I started back in June, I was really looking forward to getting away for a few days. We're all heading over to Carlisle and Esme's place in Forks, Washington this year, if there's one thing I'm sure of; it will most definitely be a quiet Christmas, not much can happen in Forks. Well, I say quiet, but with Alice, you really never know, she is a force to be reckoned with, that pixie of a sister. I realised at that exact moment just how much I had missed my siblings and parents, I guess it was a good job I would be spending Christmas and New Year with them...New Year, if Alice had anything to do with it I knew there was a possibility of not only getting incredibly drunk but also not bringing in the New Year with my right hand for company. I smiled wryly, I really had hoped that this year I wouldn't be the only one in the family without a partner, but work had been so busy, there really hadn't been time to date, well unless you counted Tanya and to be quiet frank, I didn't.

I was sat in my office, going over some charts for one of my patients, I just couldn't work out what was wrong with him, and none of the symptoms seemed to add up to one particular ailment. I was going to have to send his bloods off to a specialist unit soon if nothing showed up soon, I was completely baffled and he just wasn't getting any better.

"Edwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard" Came the sickening drawl of Tanya, my unpleasant ex who seemed to think my leaving her was an invitation for her to keep trying to get back into my bed.

I took a deep breath. "Tanya. What can I do for you? And need I remind you that in working hours I am Doctor Cullen."

"Ooh Doctor Cullen, did I ever tell you how sexy you are when you talk to me like that." She placed one hand on my bicep, her words laced with sex.

I deftly moved away from her, going to hold open my office door.

"If you don't mind Tanya I am very busy and if you have nothing better to do than come here and attempt to flirt with me then I suggest you go and clean out the bedpan in bed 34."

She looked at me sourly, one perfectly sculptured eyebrow arching, she brushed past me as she left my office, her breasts ghosting over my chest.

"Oh Edward." She called over her shoulder, smirking. "You know it's only a matter of time until we're back together, don't fight it baby, it's inevitable." And with that she sauntered down the hall way, hips swaying suggestively.

I slammed the door shut as I left my office and locked the door behind me, I shook my head as I made my way to reception to drop off the chart I'd been looking over, would she ever learn that I am just not into her?

The waiting room was pretty empty, only a few people waiting to be seen. I dropped off the file and just as I began to make my way back to my office I heard the sirens of the ambulance.

"You know what's coming in?" I asked the nurse on reception.

"Some kind of accident, I'm not sure how bad it is." She replied, her eyes running over my body. Could I never catch a break around here?

The ambulance had pulled up in front of the large automatic doors; I could see them unloading a stretcher, one of the paramedics pumping oxygen into the casualty. It must be pretty bad.

I watched as they brought the stretcher through the doors, I nodded to the nurse to get her to page the other doctors on duty.

I moved towards the paramedics, my heart went into overdrive when I saw the figure following them in. Alice. My little sister Alice, wearing a wedding dress, covered in blood, her hands, her face looking as if she had wiped her hands over her forehead, clutched her cheeks. Her eyes locked with mine.

"Edward" she sobbed before her feet collapsed from under her.

I ran towards her and scooped her up in my arms, felt for her pulse, it was strong, I carried her bridal style over to the nearest gurney, I knew she wasn't in any immediate danger, in the 5 seconds it had taken me to analyse the situation as the ambulance had pulled in and Alice followed in I had surmised that she had been with the person now being led down the hall towards the nearest free room and had subsequently gone into shock.

"You, nurse" I barked at the nurse on reception. "Take her to room three give her a shot of adrenaline, when she wakes up make sure you keep her calm, her blood sugar is probably low, give her some orange juice and a banana." The nurse nodded and I strode down the hall way to get to the casualty. I entered the room in which the paramedics were still pumping oxygen into the patient's lungs.

"What have we got?"

"Female, 24, got hit by a car, head injury, possible broken ribs, suspected broken left leg, something's cut her open on her lower abdominals, there is some sort of metal lodged right in there, possible neck and spine injury, she's loosing blood and fast. Pulse is slowing, laboured breathing."

"Right, first we need to get this dress off of her, let us see the damage – Tyler just rip it. Stephens, hook her up to the ventilator we need your hands to be free."

I took a deep breath as I looked down upon the broken woman, she looked oddly familiar, I couldn't place her.

"Nurse Rodgers, make sure we get her next of kin called, when Alice wakes up in room three get her to give you the number." I said to the kind faced woman by the door, she nodded and left the room immediately.

"Harrison, get me something to remove the metal with, I'll need to see how deep it's lodged before I can remove it without causing further damage. I'll need some antiseptic and a local anaesthetic, I'll need something to stitch her lacerations up with, some heavy duty bandages too, and then I want you to page my father get him here immediately"

Less than two minutes later Harrison was back with my instruments, she was losing a lot of blood from her head, I swiftly cleaned the wound it wasn't large, but it bled like a bitch as head wounds do, I wouldn't touch the metal in her abdominals until my father arrived, I needed to be sure that it was safe to remove. I was just about to stitch her up, when her body jerked and she flat lined. Immediately I began pumping her heart, my fists banging into her fragile chest.

The room was a flurry of movement as the paramedics hooked up the defibrillator. I grabbed the paddles and rubbed them together as my father entered the room and took over my hands and began pumping her heart.

"Charging." I said, my voice ringing around the room, the only sounds are of the continual beep of the flat lining machine, her failing heart.

"CLEAR" the paddles shocked her body; the continuous drone of the machine signalled no change. My father's hands once again took over the massaging of her heart, "Come on Bella, come back to us," he said to her lifeless body.

Bella.

Bella Swan.

Alice's best friend, the pretty dark haired girl I had seen so many photos of.

The girl who had stayed in our summer house with Alice and Jasper this year.

Alice's Maid of Honour.

The girl who I would be accompanying down the aisle on Alice's wedding day.

The girl who Alice had insisted I _had _to meet, because I would surely _love_ her.

As I waited for the machinery to charge, something inside me clicked, I had to save this girl, there was something about her, she was far too precious to die. Even with her body contorted, her face covered in blood, her hair matted I knew she was beautiful and I knew I had to save her, there were no two ways about it, this was the reason I was here, if I did no more good in my life I could die happy knowing I had saved this girl, this woman who I felt inexplicably drawn to.

"CLEAR" I pressed the paddles to her chest once more and her body jumped feebly. No change in the beat of her heart.

Carlisle's hands were back on her chest immediately. From the corner of my eye I saw Alice by the window, eyes wide, Jasper's arm wrapped securely around her waist, a man ran up behind them, frantically calling out Bella's name, her father, I presumed, clad in a police uniform. Jasper moved to his side and held him back as he tried to get into the OR, his body crumpled in the younger man's arms, I tore my eyes away I couldn't bring myself to witness his grief.

The machine whirred to let me know it was ready and I pressed it one final time to her chest. Her small body jumped into the air.

There was still no change in her heart beat. The droning of the flat line was all I could hear; I threw the paddles to the floor and bent over her fragile body. My hands pumped her heart again and again, trying to force the life back into her. I pounded relentlessly; I had never wanted to keep someone alive this much ever. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she died. There was something about her, something I couldn't explain, she couldn't die, there wasn't any other option for her, she had to live. I would make her live.

"Edward" my father's voice was gentle. "Edward it's been five minutes. She's gone."

"No, she can't die, no." My voice cracked. My hands continued to pump her heart. Her lifeless body unresponsive.

"Son, it's time." He tried to move my hands away, but I shoved him off, I would not fail.

"I can't let her, I won't let her die"

The only noise in the room was the static noise of her heart. I could feel the tension rolling off of the paramedics.

"Edward. Let it go. You've done all you can. It's time to call it." My father's voice was firm I knew he would make me stop.

My resolve failed, I knew he was right, there was nothing more I could do, she was gone, this wonderful person, was gone, I hadn't worked fast enough, I pressed down one final time on her chest.

It was all over. Bella was dead.

I turned to face my father, his eyes were soft, I couldn't look into them, instead I turned to the window where Alice stood, her arms wrapped around the shaking and crumpled form of the man I had presumed was Bella's father.

I had failed, failed Bella, failed her father, my father, Alice, myself.

Bella was gone. I couldn't save her. The grief for this woman I knew nothing about filled me suddenly, my chest tightened and my eyes were suddenly moist, I was shocked to feel hot tears splashing down my face, I wiped them furiously away, I didn't deserve to cry, I didn't deserve to mourn her, I hadn't been fast enough to save her, if I had worked faster Bella would still be alive.

One tiny sound reverberated around the room, one glimmer of hope.

_Beep, beep, beep, beep._ She was alive, her heart rate was picking up. I could hardly believe my ears, there was a tense silence around the room as we listened to her heart beat stabilise. She had come back, I hadn't failed her. A strange sense of relief flooded through my veins, it was unlike any feeling I had ever felt before, I couldn't quiet place it.

I moved over to her body, her breathing was picking up, I lifted each of her eye lids, and her eyes seemed to be responsive. I turned to my father, I'm sure my face looked the same as his, incredulous.

We took time and care to fix her up, getting rid of the large piece of metal protruding from her stomach, making sure she was no longer losing blood before we sent her down for x-ray and CAT scan.

I wash my hands and leave the room, watching Stephens lead her gurney down to radiology.

I turn to face Bella's father and my sister and best friend.

"Chief Swan. My name is Edward Cullen." I said, my voice soft as I gazed into the grief filled eyes of the man before me. "Bella was involved in an accident earlier this afternoon. She is very lucky to be alive." I paused, watching this information sink in; I knew it was difficult for the families. "Her vitals all seem good, she's lost a lot of blood and took a nasty hit to the head, she it would appear she has broken at least two ribs and possibly her left leg, right now my colleague is taking her to radiology for an x-ray, and then we will be getting her to neurology for a CAT scan." I took a deep breath and continued. "I know this must be very hard for you Chief Swan, but I want you to know that I will do all in my power to keep Bella alive, every moment she is here I will be looking after her. You can trust me with her life."I was surprised to hear the conviction in my own voice.

The chief looked directly into my eyes, brown meeting green. He cleared his throat.

"I saw the way you kept working on her Doc, when they all lost hope, you kept going. I can't thank you enough, you kept my Bells alive. I owe you one." His voice was heavy with emotion; I reached my hand forward and rested it on his shoulder. I don't know what compelled me to say it, I don't know when I realised it but as soon as the words passed my lips I knew I had never spoken truer words in my entire life.

"Chief Swan, I feel, very...protective...of Bella, I know it sounds crazy, I don't even know her, but I've heard an awful lot about her from Alice, and when I saw her on that gurney, broken, I knew I had to do everything I could to save her, that without Bella, this world wouldn't be a place worth living in."

I heard Alice's soft intake of breath, then felt her small hand grip mine. She squeezed it gently.

Chief Swan cleared his throat gruffly, "Well, doc, I appreciate that, but let's get her fixed up first."

Before I had the chance to answer my father strode towards us, "Charlie, I'm sorry about Bella." He greeted with a pat on the chief's shoulder. "Edward, son, I think it's about time you took a break; you've been here fifteen hours. I can make sure Bella is okay, go home, sleep and come back tomorrow when you've had a rest." I didn't miss the order beneath the softness of his voice; I knew it would do no good to argue with him. I merely nodded.

"Alice, are you okay?" I asked, with all the panic about Bella I had almost forgotten to ask about her collapse.

"I'm fine; honestly, I don't think I could handle anything else it all happened so fast, one minute she was looking for underwear, next I heard her shouting and that vile creature Lauren Mallory was being a complete bitch, she almost tore Bella to pieces with what she was saying, then next thing Bella is out of the door, crying, she tripped into the road, and..." she trailed off.

"MALLORY?" The chief shouted. "Where is she? Next time I see her and Jacob I swear to god..."

"Charlie. Please, don't do anything to hurt Jacob; you know how much Bella would hurt if you did, don't you think she's gone through enough already?" Carlisle said softly.

I didn't know who this _Jacob_ was or _Lauren Mallory _but by the sounds of it they weren't people I wanted around Bella, the anger that had flashed in Charlie's eyes was enough to tell me that he felt the same way, as was the bitterness in Alice's voice when she spoke of this Lauren character.

"Okay, I'm going to get off, grab some food, and hit the sack. Carlisle you call me when Bella's test results get in, promise me, I don't care what time."

"I will do Edward. Get some rest."

I bid goodbye to my family and Charlie and made my way to my office to get my brief case and jacket. I dug the key out of my pocket only to find the door ajar, I was sure I had locked the door, I shrugged it off and pushed the door open. My mouth hung open in shock as I looked at the scene before me; only the lamp on my desk was turned on, all the files, papers, books that I had on my desk were on the floor, and sat in the middle of my desk, wearing nothing but a crimson bra and panty set, legs spread, high heels resting on the seat of my chair, long poker straight blonde hair loose round her shoulders was Tanya, twirling one of my pens in her hand.

"Edward, now where have you been?" She purred, while I stood in the doorway, horrified. "You know it's rude to keep a lady waiting. And Edward, I've been waiting for you to come fill me up. I've been waiting for you to give me a good riding." She stood up and slunk towards me, I still stood dumbfounded in my office doorway, she took my silence as me giving in, saying _Yes, Tanya, come on and fuck me._ She reached me and ran one long finger down my front, her hand lingering on my belt, she was just about to unhook it when I snapped back to my senses.

"Tanya, what the fuck are you doing?" I asked pushing her away, back into my office before anyone sees her. I slammed the door behind me; I was becoming more irritated by the second.

"Put some clothes on and get the hell out of my office." I all but growled. She looked taken aback.

"Edward, baby what are you talking about? You know you want me." She wrapped her arms around my waist, pushing her breasts into my chest.

"First of all, don't call me baby and second of all no I sure as hell don't want you now get the fuck out of my office before I have you removed. For god's sake put some damn clothes on."

"Oh Eddie, sweetie, when are you going to accept that things are going to work between us? You know it's meant to be."

"TANYA OUT!"

She took the hint this time and pulled her scrubs back on, before storming furiously out of my office door.

I ran my hands through my unruly bronze hair and slumped into my chair; it had been a hell of a long day. I'd been here since 4.30 this morning when I had been called out for a baby with meningitis like symptoms, by the time I was done it was time for my shift to start anyway, when Bella arrived at 6.15 there had only been fifteen minutes of my shift left, it was now 7.30 and I was beat.

I slipped on my knee length black wool coat and wound my scarf around my neck; I grabbed the keys to my Volvo and headed out towards the parking lot.

I sped back to my apartment and was back there within twenty minutes. It felt good to be home; I grabbed the mail and headed into my penthouse apartment.

I flicked on the lights and headed straight to the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge I grabbed some left over Chinese food and a beer. Sitting down on the sofa I turned on the TV, and flicked mindlessly through the channels. As soon as I finished I headed to the shower, the hot water loosened the tension on my shoulders and back, I stood under the water until it ran cold. I pulled on a pair of loose sweats and climbed into bed. Sleep came easily, but it was by no means dreamless.

_It was coming faster and faster, she still hadn't seen it, if I didn't act now, she would be dead, taken away, I was running as fast as I could, but I knew I wasn't going to make it in time, her life was coming to an abrupt end before my very eyes and I was helpless, the monster in the shadows was getting closer and closer to the chestnut haired beauty._

_I pushed my legs faster, harder, I knew nothing but my desire to save this woman, who was stood there laughing, wearing a simple white sundress, her beautiful chestnut hair cascading down her back. Completely unaware of the danger that lurked in the darkness, thirsting for her blood, I'm running as fast as I can. "BELLA!" I'm shouting as loud as I can, she doesn't hear me, she turns to walk away, towards the shadows, I shout again and again, she still can't hear me. She turns towards the shadows, laughing over her shoulder, not watching where she's going; a long white hand moves to grasp her. My desire for her protection is at its height, I don't think I would be able to live with myself if I let it hurt her, I watch the laughter on her face turn to pain, then horror as the hand grasps her upper arm, it slinks out of the shadows, I stare horrified at the vision before me. "Bella, Bella, Bella, hold on, I'm coming for you, I won't let her hurt you." Miraculously she hears me, Tanya's grip on her arm tightens and she tries to pull Bella away from me. "Edward!" Bella is screaming "Edward help me!" I run faster, almost there, she's within my reach-_

_Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing_

I woke with a start, the shrill sound of the phone reverberating through the quiet room. I fumbled around until my hands grasped the receiver.

"Hello?" I mumbled my voice thick with sleep.

"Edward, its Carlisle"

"Dad? What time is it? What's going on?"

"It's a little after three A.M. I just got Bella's results back."

"Tell me."

"Her x-ray showed us that she's got three broken ribs, fortunately none of them have shattered so we won't need to operate. The leg we thought was broken isn't overly bad, she's got what, given the circumstances of the accident can only be called a tiny fracture, with the right amount of physio she shouldn't need a cast."

I sighed with relief; it could have been a lot worse.

"What about the CAT scan?"

"There is no permanent damage to her brain, thank the lord. We were initially concerned that she may have a hairline fracture, but there doesn't appear to be anything out of place, but I still want to keep her under observation for a few days, we may have missed something. We didn't find any problems with her neck or spine; she might have a bit of whiplash, it would be best to keep her in a neck brace for a while. The laceration in her stomach was hard to stitch, it wasn't a deep wound but it was just so big, but hopefully it won't scar. I know this all sounds like very good news, and yes she is in a stable condition but I don't want her going home for at least a week, if not longer, she is very lucky to be alive, I want to keep her in the intensive care unit tomorrow and overnight just in case."

I let this information process; this was good news, very good news.

"Edward" my father seemed hesitant. "I just wanted to apologize."

"What for? You've nothing to apologize for."

"I do Edward, I should have trusted your judgment that she would survive, if it had just been me...she would have...Bella would have..."

"Dad, anyone else would have done the same as you, I was, I don't know, I just felt like I couldn't let her go, there was something about her, I can't explain it."

"Oh Edward. That is understandable; you've heard all about her from Alice over the years, she must just feel like a part of Alice to you."

"Mmmm" was all I could say, he couldn't be further from the truth, but I think he knew that and was trying to make me feel better about the situation.

"Look, go back to sleep son, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night dad"

"Good night my son."

I fell quickly back to sleep, my mind at peace knowing that somehow, astonishingly Bella would be okay.

Something was changing deep within me, and I didn't know what, all I knew was that my life would never be the same once the change was complete, whether for good or bad I did not know, all I knew was that somewhere, something was pulling me in and I was powerless to stop it, all I could do was embrace this change and all I knew that this change was somehow, inexplicably linked to Bella Swan.

When I woke the next morning the nightmare was long gone. It was 7 am and I felt incredibly refreshed, I hopped in the shower and washed quickly, I wrapped a towel loosely around my waist and made my way through to the kitchen.

I turned the coffee machine on and while I was waiting for it to be ready I made myself an omelette with cheese and ham.

By eight I was in my dark blue scrubs and out of the door.

BPOV

Honking horn.

Squealing tires.

Black.

Screaming.

Sirens.

Pleading.

Black.

I was vaguely aware of a steady beeping. Was my alarm going off? I couldn't remember going to bed. Did I get drunk last night? It sure feels like it with the throbbing in my head. The sounds around me didn't fit my quiet little apartment. I tried to open my eyes, they were too heavy. God I must have drunk a hell of a lot. I listened harder to the sounds around me; the beeping became louder as I became more aware of my surroundings. I was in an unfamiliar bed, something was in my nose, uncomfortable, my hands felt heavy, something was stuck to my chest, my hands grasped to remove it.

"Whoa, whoa whoa" a smooth male voice said, cool hands wrapped gently around my own, stopping my movements. Did I hook up with someone...oh god this could be embarrassing.

"You don't want to remove that Bella; it's helping us monitor your heart rate."

Heart rate? What happened? The beeping noise sped up, in time with my panic.

"Shh, Bella, it's okay." The smooth male voice said, cold hands smoothing my hair back from my face, before gently swiping their fingers across my cheekbones.

I struggled to open my eyes, I tried to speak, but my mouth was too dry.

I felt a straw being pressed towards my lips, I greedily drank the water. I tried opening my eyes again; I could see the blurred outline of a tall, broad man.

"Welcome back there Bella, you had us worried for a while."

"Wh-what happened?"

"You were hit by a car, you've lost a lot of blood, try not to make too many sudden movements, you broke three ribs, suffered lacerations to your head and abdominals you've got a pretty small fracture to your left leg, you're incredibly lucky to be alive, we almost lost you"

My eyes began to regain focus, and I took in the man before me, he was tall with pale skin, incredibly handsome, kind eyes, a small smile playing softly on his lips, his blonde hair was slicked gracefully back. I would know this man anywhere.

Carlisle Cullen.

"What time is it? How long have I been here? How did I get into an accident?"

"It's almost three thirty in the morning, and you've been here from around 6.15 last night. Your dad is out in the hallway, I think he just woke up and went for a coffee, do you want me to get him?"

My dad was here? He mustn't have left. I tried to count the hours, but my brain wasn't awake enough to do the math, but it was awake to realise that Carlisle was avoiding my question.

"Carlisle. How did I get in an accident?"

He looked down at me, a sad look on his face, he seemed to deliberate for a moment. "You and Alice had spent the day trying on gowns for Alice's wedding"

"_I want something simple, yet grand, slinky and sleek yet princess like, I want something full bodied with as little extra material as possible, it's got to be white, definitely, hmm, or maybe ivory...oooh gold would be nice,"_

_I laughed at her completely anal description, and the bemused expression on Clarisa's face. _

"_So, basically Alice, you want all the brides' gowns in here?" I laughed._

"_Oh no Bella, don't be ridiculous" she chastised "I want all the maid of honour gowns too!" her face was all lit up and excited like a child's on Christmas morning._

The images of the day with Alice came flooding back to me, we had so much fun, but that didn't explain why I was here, in a hospital bed, with three cracked ribs and god knows what else.

"You, ah, well" It was strange; I had never heard Carlisle so unsure of himself. "You ended up bumping into..." He trailed off.

"Bumped into who Carlisle, I know you're keeping something from me."

He had the decency to look ashamed but the sad look was still etched on his face.

"You ran into Lauren Mallory, there was some kind of confrontation."

"_Can I tell you something Bella, a secret, it's real good, I promise." _

_She took my silence as permission to go on._

"_Everyone else knew. Jess knew, Leah knew, so did Embry, Quill and Sam. Oh and Emily and Paul. They were all laughing at you behind your back as Jake told them all about your "love making" and when you went away to college for your final year Jake told me when you finished the following summer he was leaving you and they all knew this; everyone was laughing over poor clueless Bella. You just weren't worth the hassle; Jake couldn't be bothered with you. You're not good enough for anyone. Just not worth it." She laughed, and held her left hand out in front of her, showing me her large ring. "Then three weeks after you left Jake proposed, and obviously I said yes, why wouldn't I? He is a fantastic lover, knows every position in the book, only you wouldn't know that would you? Boring Bella only likes boring sex-"_

"_SHUT UP! SHUT UP YOU BITCH!"_

Carlisle must have seen the hurt, the horror on my face, he immediately wrapped his arms gently around my shoulders, he had become like a second father to me in high school, his wife Esme like a mom. I tried to stifle the tears, but it was inevitable that they would come, remembering these words that had torn me to pieces in the middle of the store. I still couldn't remember how I got hurt, why with every breath I took my stomach burned; my chest ached, why my leg felt numb, why my head pounded.

"What happened? How did I end up here?" I asked through my tears.

"You left the store, upset, crying, Alice followed you out, she was only at the doorway when you tripped and fell into the path of an oncoming car."

_I wrenched the door open and lurched out into the busy street, tears obscuring my view, I staggered around grief taking me over, and I tripped off the edge of the pavement, I threw my hands out in front of me to break my fall, I heard the squealing of tires, the loud honking of a horn and then it all went black. _

"You came here by ambulance; you were in a bad way. A very bad way, you lost a lot of blood. Edward got to you first; I was at the other side of the hospital when I was paged."

Edward, I could hazily recall a doctor giving orders, I didn't know whether it was real or not. _"Right, first we need to get this dress off of her, let us see the damage – Tyler just rip it. Stephens, hook her up to the ventilator we need your hands to be free."_

"Not long after I arrived, you flat lined, we lost you."

My heart had stopped beating? I struggled to comprehend the information.

"We were ready to declare you dead, but Edward refused to give up, even after we'd used the maximum shock on the defibrillator. He kept his hands working your heart, we all thought he was fighting a losing battle, but then out of nowhere your heart starts beating again, we can hear it loud and clear throughout the room. You really are a fighter Bella Swan."

"You got that right Doc" my father's gruff voice came from the doorway.

"Dad!" I tried to sit up and instantly regretted it, the pain was unbearable.

"Hey, hey not so fast Bells." He moved swiftly to my side, and held my hand awkwardly.

"I think it's time for some more meds now Bella." Carlisle said, he moved over to a work station and filled a syringe with a clear liquid, which he then pumped into the IV.

"The morphine will kick right in, you go back to sleep Bella, I won't be here in the morning but Edward will, he'll be able to answer any other questions you might have, he'll make sure you're okay."

I felt my eye lids getting heavy as he spoke, I was already too far gone to hear the brief exchange between my father and Carlisle, I only caught odd words and phrases, and my name. "Protective" "Never seen him like this" "He's a good kid" "Lucky to be alive" "He saved her"

I stored this information away for a later date, I'm sure there was some sort of significance to the disjointed words but at that moment all my body wanted to do was sleep.

I quickly fell into a dreamless sleep, Charlie's hand still held awkwardly in mine.

I woke up groggily around seven, I was disorientated for a moment before I remembered what had happened, _Dresses, Lauren, Jacob, Trip, Car, Flat line._

My dad was sleeping in the chair besides my bed; he looked awful uncomfortable, snoring gently.

The hospital was busy with the morning rituals, nurses rushing around, getting to all the wakening patients.

"Morning Miss Swan, how are you feeling today?" a nurse said coming into the room; she was short with greying hair and a friendly smile.

"I kinda ache" I said softly, trying not to wake my father. "A lot"

"Well, how's about we get you a bath, try to loosen up some of those muscles, by the time we're done Doctor Cullen should be here to check your vitals, give you your meds."

"Bath, right." I said "How would I-"

"-Don't you worry about that I will be right there to help you."

Oh god, I think I might just die of embarrassment, I tried to manoeuvre myself out of bed, and it hurt like hell.

"Hold your horses missy! Here let me take you" She put one arm securely under my arm and helped me out of the bed.

The short walk to the bathroom adjoining my private room was a painful one, every step I took my leg twinged, with each breath I took my chest felt like it was going to explode, we eventually made it to the bathroom, I was embarrassed taking my clothes off and getting into the bath in front of a perfect stranger, she seemed to sense my hesitation and spoke calming words to me.

The bath felt like heaven on my tense muscles, I let the warm water envelop my skin, easing away the tension, the kind nurse helped to wash my hair, still matted with dried blood and my bruised back, she had soft, gentle hands.

The water was beginning to cool as she helped me back out of the bath, I felt ten times better, she helped me back into the hospital underwear and gown, I made a mental note to ask Alice to bring me some clothes and underwear, I didn't want Charlie going through my draws, I think I'd just about die from embarrassment. The nurse helped me back into the room, my father no longer asleep in the chair; I knew he must be on the prowl for some breakfast. My stomach rumbled audibly at the thought of food.

"Looks like someone's hungry" the kindly nurse chuckled "The Doctor will have to check you over first, they might want to do a couple more procedures today and they can't let you eat if they do."

"Okay, I can wait, if you see any of my friends this morning please just send them right on up, I could use some friendly faces" I said softly.

She agreed before hooking me back up to the machines and leaving to finish her rounds.

I looked around the room I was laying in, there was machinery surrounding my bed, various beeping noises filling the room with their high pitched trill. There was an IV attached to my right arm, a pearly white liquid dripping a steady flow down the tube. To my left, a worn blue armchair, previously occupied by my father, stood; I was sure it had seen many occupants in its time, never the same. Opposite my bed was a large cabinet, draws for my clothes and such, on top of which there were numerous bunches of flowers, pinks and yellows stood out proudly.

The morphine that Carlisle had given me only a few hours earlier was wearing off, the throbbing of my head, my sore neck, aching chest, my leg out at an odd angle. I groaned as I tried to shift positions, I couldn't support my weight on my arms, I felt so weak, pathetic.

"Why don't you let me help you?" a velvet smooth voice said from the doorway of my room.

If it wasn't for the steady beeping of the monitor I would have sworn my heart stopped beating for a moment.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone, sorry for the delay in this, it took a while for inspiration to hit, but when it did it came in full force! **

**Let me know if you want shorter chapters and quicker updates or longer chapters and longer updates.**

**Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I dont own.**

**Chapter Three**

**Bpov**

Stood in the door way to my room, leaning effortlessly against the frame stood the most beautiful man I had ever set eyes on, he was tall, he had to be at least 6'2", long and lean, the tight blue top of his scrubs outlining his muscular chest, his bottoms hung dangerously low on his hips, if he stretched upwards I was sure I would be able to see a sliver of his alabaster skin, he had the most beautiful piercing green eyes and a head of dishevelled bronze hair, his lips were spread into a smirk as he saw my ogling, I blushed crimson and averted my eyes from this Adonis.

He moved towards my bed in three long, easy strides.

"My name is Edward Cullen, I'm your doctor" he said into my ear as his strong hands wrapped around my waist and helped me into a more comfortable position, my breathing hitched as soon as he touched me, I could have sworn I heard him chuckle.

"Is that better?" He asked moving his hands away from me. I sighed at the loss of contact, what the hell was wrong with me; I never acted this way, never.

"Much...thank you. You're Alice's brother right?"

"That would be correct" he laughed "and you're Bella, I've heard so much about you" he said with wink, if it was possible my blush deepened.

"All good I hope." What had Alice told him? Why had she told him about me? Oh god, I hope it's nothing embarrassing.

"Ahh, well that would be telling" he laughed, before clearing his throat. "So, how are you feeling today?"

"I ache. A lot, everywhere."

"Well, why don't I see about getting you some more meds?"

"That would be fine. But please, none that make me want to sleep, I really don't want to bother everyone with..." I broke off, why was I telling a perfect stranger about my nightmares. He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to finish. "It doesn't matter; I just don't want to sleep the whole day away."

He appraised me, looking concerned; I gave him a tentative smile.

"Okay, nothing that will make you sleep." He said grudgingly. "Not that you would have been able to sleep, I believe Alice planned on spending the day with you." He laughed heartily, eyes sparkling.

"She's like an unstoppable force of nature" I joked while he rummaged through the cabinet for what ever drugs they were pumping into me, I watched his smooth hands work, long, lean fingers, he even looked beautiful from behind.

"This should make you feel better" He said injecting the clear liquid into the IV, he hadn't caught me staring again, thank god, but the tell tale blush lit up my face.

"Um, Doctor Cullen-"

"-Edward, please"

"Okay, Edward" I said tentatively, I liked the way his name rolled off my tongue. "Would it be possible for me to have some breakfast now?" I asked, my stomach growled in agreement and my cheeks flushed.

"Of course, what do you want? I'll have them send you something right up?"

I thought about the question, what did I want? Well him. I shot that thought down almost as soon as it entered my head, it wasn't right for me to be thinking about him like that. At all, and anyway he wouldn't be interested in someone like me, so there was no point even thinking about it.

I realised he was still waiting for my answer and once again I blushed ferociously.

"Um, how about some eggs?" I asked.

"Ok Bella Swan, one lot of eggs coming up" he laughed, is this what all doctors were like? Were they meant to get the patients breakfast? I dismissed the thought and smiled up at him dazedly, I could already feel the meds taking effect, they were working fast and good, my aching muscles were relaxing and the pain dissipating. I felt slightly woozy and if I moved too fast the room began to spin.

"E-Edward, I thought you said these weren't going to make me sleepy!" I accused.

He laughed heartily at me; I felt my cheeks flame red, damn him and his musical laugh. "Bella, they won't make you sleep, just a little..well...you'll be kinda out of it for a little bit as they work their magic, but in an hour or so you'll be right as rain." He said with a crooked smile.

I felt my eyelids become heavier...I was powerless to stop them from closing...that damn dreamy doctor had given me sleep inducing meds, I would be having stern words with him. I wasn't aware of him leaning over me, checking my pulse with his large, cool hands, a completely unnecessary task, given the heart monitor attached to me, or the way he watched me sleep before he slipped out of the room and shut the door quietly.

I slept, for the first time in a while, peacefully, all things considering. The bed wasn't comfortable, the hospital gown was itchy and the noise around me was slightly irritating, but there was something, something I couldn't quiet put my finger on that made me feel relaxed, at ease. Serene. I don't know how long I slept, but the first thing I registered upon waking was my hunger, I still hadn't had anything to eat, and my stomach was protesting, loudly.

"Ahh Bells, you were always hungry when you woke up." Came the rough voice I had been avoiding so vehemently over the last ten months. "How are you feeling sweetheart?"

Lauren's words cut through me as I looked up to find the source of his voice. Jacob was stood by the dresser, leaning casually against it, smiling, his russet skin and jet black hair stood out against the yellow of the room, he was as handsome as ever.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I all but growled.

"Can't a guy visit his best girl when she's in hospital?" He grinned moving closer to the bed, oblivious of my anger.

I scoffed at his words. "Best girl?! Really Jacob...you lost the right to have any part in my life when you fucked Lauren." I spat.

"Bells-"

"Don't call me that!"

He sighed deeply. "Bella, baby...it was a onetime thing, I'd had a beer or two and she seduced me in the garage. I didn't know what was going on." He scratched the side of his neck nervously.

I couldn't believe me ears, I was stunned, it took me a moment to digest what he had said, I thought back over the conversation or rather argument I had with Lauren the previous morning, the malice in her eyes, the contempt, the shiny ring on her finger. I drew a deep breath and took a moment to calm myself, concentrating on the rapid pace of the heart monitor until it slowed again.

"How do you do it?" I asked, a serene mask on my face whilst the rage bubbled deep inside me.

He looked at me confused. "Do what baby?" he moved closer to the bed and sat in the worn blue armchair next to me.

I held back the harsh words that were trying desperately to escape me as he called me "baby."

"You honestly don't know Jacob?"

"Bells wha-"

"I said don't call me that!" I snapped, what gave him the right to use a nickname, a pet name for me, nothing, that's what, he had lost that right the moment he touched that poor excuse for a woman. I drew in a deep breath, controlling my anger.

I exhaled slowly before saying in the sweetest, most genuine tone I could muster "How do you stand there and lie to me?"

"Bella, hon, I think the meds are getting to you. I have no idea what you're talking about." He rubbed the side of his neck again, his eyes shifting around the room.

I forgot all about being calm and collected, I forgot about the pain this would most likely inflict on my incapacitated body as I launched myself up right, and hit him, as hard as I could, right across his cheek.

There was a moment of silence following the almighty slapping sound that seemed to echo between us. I slumped back down onto my pillows, vaguely aware of the once dull throbbing pain, becoming a constant assault on my senses.

Jacob stared at me, shock masking his features, his brow furrowed, mouth set into a frown.

"It's the meds is it Jake?" I scoffed, my voice becoming slightly hysterical as the tears I had been holding back began to slip down my cheeks.

"Well then, they must be some fucking strong meds, y'know, to have put memories of things in my head, like this morning at the Bridal Shop, with Alice." I seethed, the monitor was beeping away steadily, its pace slowly increasing as my anger took over me. "I mean, what type of meds would have me imagining your _fiancée _dressed in slutty lingerie telling me all about how you were fucking her before we lost our virginities, how all of our friends knew, how you were telling them I was a shit lay? They must have been really fucking strong for me to imagine all that." I said sarcastically; while the tears continued to flow, I wiped them away furiously, but they didn't relent, before continuing. "Or maybe, just maybe I was wondering how you could come here, not an ounce of shame, calling me your "best girl", talking at me like I'm an idiot, trying to make me out as crazy, blaming my anger on the fucking meds, you proposed to her three fucking weeks after we broke up. You took my heart and you tore it to pieces, and then stamped all over it. I LOVED you, I gave you my all, there was nothing I wouldn't do for you, you were my best friend, my lover and I would have followed you anywhere. I changed who I was for you Jacob Black, I changed everything about me, the clothes I wore, my attitude towards life, I even gave up on having the proper college lifestyle, to make you happy. And you, you were fucking some cheap whore the entire time, that's right because "boring Bella only likes boring sex" I loved you Jacob, and every time I think of you I feel like I die a little inside because I lost the only man who I ever trusted enough to love me. I gave you everything and you threw it all back in my face like yesterday's rubbish." My words dissolved to body shaking sobs as I watched the emotions flicker over his face: anger, sadness, shame, anger, shock, pain.

"Bella I-"

"Save it Jacob!"

"No, listen to me, Bella, that's not how it happened."

"You know what Jacob, I'm sick of your fucking lies. Get out."

"No, Bella, you've got to listen to me, I swear, I never meant to hurt you."

"Well then, that just makes it all better doesn't it? You didn't mean to hurt me so it mustn't be as bad as I thought it was. Oh wait...nope it's still just as fucking bad. Get out."

"Bella I'm not going anywhere, not until you listen to me."

"No, Jacob, you're going to listen to me, and you are going to listen hard. I don't want to listen to your pathetic excuses, I'm not going to listen to all of your lies, as you try to worm yourself back into my life, because it's not going to fucking happen. You no longer have any stake in my life." My sobs were slowing and the rage bubbling away inside me was working its way to the surface.

"Bella, please" He pleaded with me, grabbing my hand off the bed, I tried to yank it away but his grip was too strong. "I love you Bella."

Silence hung heavily in the air as I processed his words, it felt like he had punched me in the gut, stabbed me a thousand times, covered me in hot oil and set fire to me, his words paved a fiery path to my stomach and despite my lack of food I suddenly felt the need to vomit.

He took my silence as an invitation to keep speaking.

"I love you so much Bells, I was an idiot, you are so wonderful, and I didn't realise it until you were gone, I love you Bella, so much, and I am so sorry for all the hurt I caused you. Please, just please, let's start again. Then, we can move in together, properly, in La push, and I'll keep the garage going and you can stay at home, and look after the house, and then eventually the kids...it would be perfect." He wrapped his arms around my still frozen body as I struggled to comprehend his words. I felt his lips press against my forehead and something inside me snapped, I pulled away from his grasp angrily. The monitor besides me was picking up in speed as my breathing quickened and the panic set in, they were the words I had longed to hear for so long, but they were coming out all wrong _"You can stay at home and look after the house"_ was that all I was worth to him?

"So let me get this straight" I shouted, my voice harsh and condescending "You want me to be the perfect little housewife, while you go out and work, you want me to leave my career, my friends, my life in Seattle and move to La fucking Push. Now, would I be right in thinking that while I was _looking after the house_ you would still be fucking Lauren, because you obviously love her or something because you fucking proposed to her." I was shouting louder and louder, the monitor besides me was going into overdrive.

I was vaguely aware of the door to my room being pushed open, and two doctors and a nurse came piling in, I didn't look long enough to notice who they were, swiftly followed by my father and Alice.

"So, Jacob, why don't you get the fuck out? I don't want to hear your grovelling, don't tell me you love me, because we both know its bullshit. Get out." When he didn't move, I saw my father's hand move towards his gun belt. I shot him a look.

"I said get out." I could feel myself begin to tremble.

"I love you Bella."

"Don't fucking say that Jacob. Just go. I don't want you here." My breathing became shallow as I fought back the desire to scream.

He didn't have time to reply; a large pale hand clapped down on his shoulder and pulled him upright.

"I think you should leave." Edward's voice was low, and laced with threat, I hadn't even realised it was him in the room. When I looked up to him his face was set in a hard mask, his eyes dark and his jaw set.

Jacob made no move to leave; he stood up and immediately towered over Edward.

"I think you should get your hands off me."

"Don't make me force you out of this hospital on your knees, because believe me I will."

"Harsh words doc, I'd like to see you try." Jacob taunted.

Something resembling a low growl erupted from Edward's chest. I watched him square up to Jacob in horror, Edward was tall and broad, but he was no match for Jacob who was at least six inches taller and twice as wide.

My whole body was trembling, from the physical pain and from the emotional turmoil; the machine besides me began to splutter as my heart sped up then slowed right down. I saw the room swirl before me, I could no longer make out the words begin said, all I could hear was a sound like the wind rushing past. I pulled my knees towards my chest and rocked slowly back and forth, trying to block out the overwhelming desire to fall apart, my breathing was coming out in short, gasping pants.

Everything went in slow motion as I watched Jacob laying into Edward, and whatever he said must have enraged Edward because the next thing I knew Alice was grabbing Edward's arm and pulling him back, his shoulders were tense and ready for a fight, he had just turned to walk away when out of nowhere Jacob's fist came flying through the air and hit Edward squarely on the jaw. It was then that the blackness took over.

**Epov**

The hit came out of nowhere and suddenly I was propelled backwards into my sister, Carlisle lunged towards me and helped me back to my feet, there was a ringing in my ear as I moved my jaw, assessing the damage Jacob had inflicted. That guy had a hell of a right hook. It was in that moment I noticed two things, one Charlie had grabbed Jacob and was cuffing him right before my very eyes, the anger in his eyes was something that made me want to shy away and hide, his jaw was set and his words were gruff, he looked like a man on the edge.

The second thing I noticed took over my body instantly; I was propelled into action immediately. I watched Bella's fragile body shake and spasm, she had blacked out. From the pain, the fear I had no idea.

I heard a curse come from my sister besides me. She rushed to Bella's side and began smoothing her hair back, whispering soothing words, stroking her arms. Trying to still her.

She looked at me, a blank expression on her face, it was laced with pain and I knew things were about to get difficult. It only took one word for me to immediately understand what was going on. "Night-terrors" I was immediately in action.

"Charlie...get him out of here, hand him over to security. You need to be here."

"Carlisle, I need you here, I can't-" I cut off and he nodded, knowing what I was trying to say before I myself knew.

"Nurse Roberts, things in here are going to get loud, warn the other nurses, and make sure the other patients don't get too scared"

There was a flurry of movement as everyone did as I asked.

"How long do they normally last Alice?" I asked, my voice tense, Bella was tossing and turning now, whimpers and small moans escaping her lips.

"It depends, on a good day, it can be anything from thirty minutes to two hours..." she trailed off, there was a haunted look in her eyes, I realised that beyond her physical ailments Bella was broken, completely and utterly broken. She had been pulled to shreds by Jacob; I knew in that instant that she had only just managed to survive what he had put her through.

I had only caught the end of her argument with Jacob, but I knew he had broken beyond anything I had ever seen. She was barely surviving. She needed to be healed.

"And on a bad day?" I asked hesitantly, I knew today was a bad day, and then it suddenly clicked, Bella had known it too, she knew this was going to happen, that's why she had asked me not to give her meds that would make her sleep.

"_Well, why don't I see about getting you some more meds?"_

"_That would be fine. But please, none that make me want to sleep, I really don't want to bother everyone with..."_

Now I really felt like a dick, I had done exactly what she had asked me not to.

"It depends..." Alice said softly, she was still soothing Bella. "...at the beginning, ten months ago, they would last for hours on end, if you tried to wake her up, she would completely freak, over these last few months, they've been getting better, the last one, on a bad day was three and a half hours, but that was when I was still living with her, making sure she was surviving, two and a half months ago...I don't know about any since then, she tells me they have been getting less and less frequent, the bad ones that is." She trailed off, her worried eyes taking in Bella's withering form. "It's going to be a big one. She hasn't seen him in ten months Edward, look what he is doing to her, he has sucked the life out of her, I swear to god Edward, these last ten months have been hell, I thought I was going to have to be on suicide watch for a good three months, she completely switched off, she wouldn't eat, she lost so much weight, I thought I was going to have to take her to the doctor's because she was anorexic, she wouldn't go out, I was terrified to let her move into her own place in September, she hadn't been able to read the books she used to love, she hadn't been able t go out and watch a film with me and Jazz in case there was any romance. She would leave the room when there were couples there. At first, she would wake up every single night in floods of tears, then the night-terrors started, it was awful, seeing her like that, in so much pain, and I was powerless to help. I've never felt so helpless Edward." Alice's words were clouded with pain, her small body began to shake with the force of her tears, I moved round to her and wrapped my arms around her tiny frame.

"Alice, Edward...I have to do my rounds, will you be okay here?" My father asked quietly. I nodded and turned my eyes to the girl shaking and convulsing on the bed, I had no idea what to do, she was mumbling now, the words broken, pain seeping out of her every pore.

"Maybe I should give her some pain relief, I mean, it's gotta be hurting her." I was talking more to myself that anyone else, I manoeuvred out of Alice's embrace and rifled through the cabinet, I found what I was looking for and injected it into her IV, I could only hope that it would take some of her physical pain away.

There was something about this girl that brought out strange unknown feelings in me. I didn't know her, but I wanted to, she was broken and I wanted to be the one to fix her, I had the desire to see her laugh, to see her happy and at peace. There was the irrational desire to pull Jacob Black limb from limb, for hurting a girl I don't know. Just seeing her there, broken, moaning in pain made me want to offer up my soul to save her.

At that moment I knew my fate was sealed.

There was nothing else for it, I would be around for Bella Swan. I would see her happy or on the way to being happy before the year was out, no matter what it takes.


End file.
